General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 9a -6.7 °C (20 °F) to -3.9 °C (25 °F)
Leaves: Evergreen
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Green
White
Other: w/ green stripe
Flower Time: Late winter or early spring
Late spring or early summer
Winter
Other
Underground structures: Bulb
Uses: Provides winter interest
Toxicity: Other: Whole plant is poisonous
Propagation: Other methods: Offsets
Bulbs
Containers: Suitable in 1 gallon
Preferred depth: half buried

Image
Common names
  • Pregnant Onion
  • Sea Onion
  • German Onion
  • Snake Flower
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Albuca bracteata
  • Synonym: Ornithogalum longibracteatum
  • Synonym: Ornithogalum caudatum

Photo Gallery

Date: 2020-08-15
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Meise Botanical Garden)
Date: 2024-01-24
Photo by longk
Location: In my garden, Falls Church, VA
Date: 2017-12-09
Location: In my garden, Falls Church, VA
Date: 2017-12-09
Location: My backyard
Date: Oct 12, 2011  1 pm
Pregnant Onion with young
Photo by sedumzz
Photo by longk
Location: Garfield, WA
Date: 2013-01-04
Mother bulb with babies still attached.
Location: Savannah, Georgia (my garden)
Date: 2016-12-06
Received baby bulbs at local swap.
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2009-05-07
Location: Summeville, SC
Location: My garden in Kalama, Wa. Zone 8
Date: 2012-06-22
  • Uploaded by Joy
Photo by Plantomaniac08
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2012-04-17
  • Uploaded by Joy
Photo by longk
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-10-29
bulblets
Location: Garfield, WA
Date: 2013-01-04
Mature Pregnant Onion plant in pot with sprouting baby plants.
Photo by Plantomaniac08
Location: central Illinois
Date: 3-31-11

Date: 2022-07-10

Date: 4000-07-23
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2013-02-01
My small colony of Pregnant onions
Photo by sedumzz
Location: Summeville, SC
Location: central Illinois
Date: Oct/Nov 2013
a relatively new start
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Date: Spring
Pregnant Onion
Location: Plano, TX
A small offset on parent bulb
Location: Plano, TX
Two new offsets
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-06-13
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2013-10-02
Softball size pregnant onion bulb
Location: Plano, TX
Date: 2013-10-02

photo credit: H. Zell

photo credit: H. Zell

photo credit: H. Zell
Photo by Plantomaniac08
Photo by Plantomaniac08
Location: central Illinois
Date: 3-20-06
basement, under lights
Photo by Plantomaniac08
Location: Vander Veer Botanical Gardens - Davenport, Iowa
Date: 2012-07-02

Date: 2014-06-13
Comments:
  • Posted by jmorth (central Illinois) on May 2, 2014 8:08 PM concerning plant:
    This rather curious plant is a South African native usually grown as a houseplant. Some sources maintain the Pregnant Onion can also be grown outside, naming Southern California as a good example for growing outdoors.
    Once the bulb reaches a certain size it begins to produce bulbils that grow off the main bulb, hence the "pregnant" part of its common name. The bulb grows above ground with only its roots anchored underground in its native habitat. The bulb can grow to around 5 inches. When it is grown as a houseplant, the top half is left free of soil. Seldom needs re-potting.The long strap-like leaves can attain a yard in length. Periodically, a flower stalk is produced, It can reach 60 inches and produce multiple (up to a hundred) small green-striped, white fragrant flowers that form a spike on the stalk.

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